11.42: Right, our time together is now officially over. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading all your mails over the last six weeks, and I hope you've enjoyed all my wittering on. Now's the time to reflect on another successful World Cup over a cold one or six. See you in four years.

11.38: Man of the match Thierry Dusautoir has been reading the papers this week. I wonder if he's a broadsheet or tabloid man?

We read a lot of stuff this week. I hope we showed that we were able to play rugby and play the final of the Rugby World Cup.

11.37: Cory Jane has broken his Twitter embargo. Now off to the pub for a smoke with you, Cory!

11.35: Our time together is almost over. Before I go make sure you have a read of Brendan Gallagher's match report:

It was an utterly gripping, dog-fight of a match, despite the low score, and comfortably the best World Cup final we have been treated to. France, as we hoped they might, produced a superhuman effort, which we know they can when the mood is with them. They threw the kitchen sink at the All Blacks, playing with great spirit, elan an no little bravery.

11.26: Mark Cueto, who as an England player has had plenty of free time to reflect on the World Cup, says NZ deserved it:

11.21: Sensing lots of anger and frustration about the refereeing in the final from your emails. It's been a common theme throughout the tournament. It certainly feels like it's about time the IRB poured some of their mouthgard fine loot into improving the refereeing.

11.19: New Zealand performing an impromptu haka on the sidelines. You like to dance, we get it.

11.17: Graham Henry is one relieved man:

I'm so proud to be a New Zealander standing here. Richie and the boys just hanging in there right through the 80 minutes to win this thing is superb. This is something we've dreamed of for a while and now we can rest in peace. I've got so much respect for what the boys have done over eight years. It's been outstanding.

France were simply magnificent, from the moment they advanced on the haka in an arrow-shaped formation with the captain Thierry Dusautoir at the front, they defied every prediction that they would be a soft touch.

They were resolute, unyielding and hell-bent on taking the game to New Zealand in the best World Cup final ever. And yet it was not enough.

11.10: A poignant moment in sport.....is ruined as the Black Eyed Peas hit I Gotta Feeling is blasted out over the tannoy. Tacky.

11.09: McCaw hoists the trophy and New Zealand goes barmy.

11.08: All Blacks! All Blacks! All Blacks! chants the crowd.

11.07: The biggest cheer of the night is for Dan Carter as the injured pivot receives his medal.

11.05: Now come the All Blacks to huge cheers and collective pats on the back.

11.03: France are up receiving their losers' medals and doing so with a lot of dignity. They were terrific tonight.

80+1 min: France concede the penalty! Ellis clears it out and New Zealand win!

80 min: Thierry Dusautoir has been awarded the man of the match award. But it will be of no consolation. He wanted a winners' medal.

79 min: New Zealand playing a blinder here in keeping hold of the ball. And they win the penalty! France penalised for going off their feet! Brendan Gallagher not happy with the reffing performance from Joubert:

78 min: Can the All Blacks play keep-ball for two minutes? They're going to give it a go.

77 min: Now then! Crucial knock-on from France! I think that was the new boy Doussain at the base. What a time to make a mistake.

76 min: Sonny Bill Williams is on for Nonu. While, Jean-Marc Doussain is on for Yachvili. To make his debut. Gulp.

75 min: The ball is held up but Joubert awards France the put-in just on the AB 10 metre-line.

74 min: Slow, slow ball from France. But they're loving it. A big hit from Read almost leads to a turnover but France somehow manage to retain possession. This is some contest.

73 min: A high tackle from Smith on Dusautoir is missed but France retain their cool and continue to attack with purpose. It's all about composure now.

72 min: A philosophical mail from Tom:

France got to the final by winning a match they deserved to lose. Maybe they're going to lose the final, playing well enough that they deserve to win. Irony.

71 min: Searing break down the left touchline from Palisson but the ball is held up in the air and NZ eventually get the French maul out of play.

70 min: France win a penalty and Trinh-Duc punches it towards halfway. Just had a quick look at the statistics. Theirry Dusautoir has made 21 tackles tonight. Superb.

69 min: Big balls from Donald who drops back into the pocket and angles a superb tactical kick towards the French 22.

67 min: Nallet trucks the ball up in the wide channels as France go in pursuit of that killer score. Trinh-Duc puts the bomb on Dagg but it's way too long and the Crusader puts in a delicious long kick to peg France right back into their half.

66 min: High kick from Traille is claimed! France have the ball in the NZ 22! And Dagg's down injured! It's all going off. But New Zealand win the ball back and survive yet again.

65 min: Horrible miss from Trinh-Duc. He yanked at it and it's well wide. Szarzewski and Barcella on for Servat and Poux.

64 min: Hoho! Penalty to France at the scrum! And it's in kicking range!

63 min: Roll away McCaw! He doesn't and manages to slow down French ball. Luckily for Les Bleus Joubert whistles and gives them the put-in to the scrum.

62 min: Promising attack from the All Blacks breaks down with a bit of dodgy communication leading to a scissor move being messed up. France win a penalty from the line-out but Yachvili misses touch.

61 min: Now then! Superb line-out steal from Harinordoquy! He is dominating the line-out. Thorn is having a fantastic World Cup but he was nowhere near the Biarritz man there.

60 min: Poux penalised again for collapsing the scrum.

59 min: France work through the phases but a big hit from Kaino dislodges the ball from Nallet's grasp and New Zealand survive.

58 min: France working through the phases in the NZ half. Nothing fancy but nothing that dangerous either. Yachvili puts a box-kick in and Dagg slices his clearance to give France a line-out on the New Zealand 22.

57 min: High shot from Donald is ignored by Joubert. Then Trinh-Duc puts in a pearler of a tactical kick. NZ respond with a quick throw before clearing the ball towaards their own 10-metre line.

55 min: Rougerie tries to get a little kick through the defence but it's charged down by Nonu so France will re-start with a line-out just short of their 10-metre line.

54 min: New Zealand have gone through 16 phases but they've also gone back 30 metres in the process. And then the ball's knocked on! France loving it!

53 min: France doing a marvellous job of slowing it down in defence. NZ just unable to get anything meaningful going.

52 min: ABs have the put-in just inside their own half. Jane comes in at first receiver and he gets them over the gain line. Kaino and Franks come up with drives of their own before Donald shakes off a couple to get the attacking machine going.

51 min: Weepu is hooked, and Andy Ellis comes on to replace him.

50 min: La Marseillaise ringing out at Eden Park. This is a complete nightmare for the All Blacks. What do they have?

47 min: TRY! New Zealand 8 - France 5 (Dusautoir + Yachvili con) Oh my god! France are right back in it!! Weepu kicked the ball straight into Trinh-Duc's hands. The fly-half scampered away towards the line, but New Zealand got back with some crucial tackles. The ball was recycled and Dusautoir was on hand to put his head down and crash over for a crucial score! GAME ON!

46 min: PENALTY! New Zealand 8 - France 0 (Donald) It's over. Just. Donald puffs his cheeks out because he knows that was almost butchered.

Damian Traille is on for Vincent Clerc who hobbles off. Presumably Medard will go to the wing now.

45 min: France think they've pinched the ball off New Zealand! But no, it's a penalty to the All Blacks. Donald grabs the tee and lines up the shot. Meanwhile, here's a mail from Dan in Queenstown:

Parra was kneed/punched in the head by McKaw. No wonder there has been no replay!

44 min: Weepu kicks the ball into the 22 and NZ are tearing down on Trinh-Duc! He does well to take the, high, tackles and Mermoz is able to clear the ball out.

43 min: The ball goes agonisingly wide for France. Very nice stroke from Yachvili but it wasn't quite right.

42 min: Rougerie straightens the line and runs in to the NZ 22. It looks like New Zealand have pilfered the ball but McCaw is pinged for handling the ball in the ruck. France have a great chance to get points on the board and the cut the deficit!

41 min: We're back with the action as Trinh-Duc kicks off. NZ take the kick and Weepu box-kicks away. But it's straight to Harinordoquy and France are on the attack again.

09.57: Brendan Gallagher with the latest from Eden Park:

Two debating points. Why did Joubert stop play when Cruden was injured but not when Parra went down. Dusautoir went absolutely mad at Joubert and quite right too. Poor reffing.

And secondly how did that injury happen exactly. New Zealand TV not keen to show the replay. Did anybody catch it?

09.55: Stephen Donald getting a lot of good press in the ITV studio. Did they not see the Bledisloe Cup game in Hong Kong last year? Carter was taken off to keep him fresh for the End of Year Tour, and the ABs fell to pieces. Donald missed touch at the death and the Wallabies came back to score the winner in stoppage time.

09.53: A mail from John:

France are a completely different side today. Their defence has been excellent. Can they keep it up I ponder.

09.49: Just five points in it at half-time. Who would have thought it? Can the impossible happen? Well, it certainly looks a lot more likely than it did at kick-off. Get the mails in and let's discuss.

40+1 min: Weepu smacks the ball out for half-time.

39 min: Dagg misses touch and things are just starting to fall away for New Zealand. France have the ball in their own half as the game meanders towards the break. If I were France I would keep things tight here and get to half-time at 5-0. Instead Clerc kicks the ball out on the full. Interesting tactic.

38 min: France are all over New Zealand! In to the 22 they go! But they're held up and Joubert awards the put-in to New Zealand. Let off. Meanwhile Frederick Michalak is starting to believe:

37 min: French confidence growing with every minute. Trinh-Duc runs 30 yards untouched and is almost through! No! Great tap tackle from Weepu!

35 min: The Donald curse strikes immediately as New Zealand are pinged at the scrum. France have the pill just outside the All Blacks 22. It's slow ball, but having watched France in thei knockouts so far I don't think they'll care. Trinh-Duc drops back into the pocket and attempts a drop-goal but it's comfortably wide.

34 min: Now then! Aaron Cruden is down clutching his knee. Could the ABs be down another fly-half? Stephen Donald at 10 in a World Cup final is Graham Henry's worst nightmare. Yup, Cruden's gone. Stephen Donald is on and Graham Henry has just gone pale. This could be a gamechanger, people.

33 min: First cheer of Allez Les Bleus! rings out at Eden Park. But the French scrum is penalised for an early engage and the chanting stops rather rapidly.

32 min: France have an attacking line-out in the All Blacks' 22 after a slightly dubious decision from assistant referee Nigel Owens with regards to the placing of Jane's feet. Anyway, France are on the attack. But it doesn't last long as Servat knocks on in contact.

30 min: Alarm bells ringing in the French defence after some sublime attacking stuff from the ABs. The ball is grubbered towards the in-goal area by Kahui but Rougerie is there to sweep up and touch down for a 22.

28 min: Well his kicking for poles might be dreadful but from the hand he's quite good you know. Weepu peels away from the base of a ruck before drilling a grubber right into the corner. Top play.

26 min: Weepu misses his third kick of the night. It wasn't even close. Terrible effort.

25 min: France concede their fifth penalty of the match for putting hands in the ruck. Which makes this mail from Steve quite timely:

So far the worst refereeing performance of the World Cup Is the man blind or just hugely biased?

24 min: Nallet taps the ball back and Yachvili hoofs it out off his left peg.

23 min: Parra is all over the place on the touchline. Looks like he's had 10 snakebites and been kicked out of a nightclub. Get him in a taxi. On comes Francois Trinh-Duc again. Stonking hit from Dusautoir on Kahui. Bit like Kahui's on Cooper last week, actually. Dagg finds acres of space behind the French defence and Les Bleus have a very testing defensive line-out to deal with now.

22 min: Superb tackle from Rougerie on Nonu stops the AB centre from breaking through the French defence. Essential intervention from the blonde veteran.

21 min: ABs have slow ball in the French half but a pick and drive from McCaw ups the pace of the attack a tad. Read then follows up with a robust drive up the middle. New Zealand are bubbling...

19 min: First scrum of the night. Both sides have excellent tight fives so anything other than a score draw here will be surprising. Ah ha! Poux is penalised by Craig Joubert for angling in.

18 min: Morgan Parra is back on for Yachvilli.

17 min: New Zealand are rampant! Kahui and Dagg dance through a few tackles on the left flank and they're all over France like a rash! But Dusautoir does superbly at the breakdown to win a penalty. France owe their captain a cold one for that.

16 min: Interesting couple of facts: Woodcock was 66/1 to score the first try in this match. And the host broadcasters are yet to show a second replay of just how Parra went off injured.

15 min: TRY! New Zealand 5 - France 0 (Woodcock) Training ground line-out move from New Zealand allows Woodcock to canter over untouched! Mealamu threw to the back and it was passed back to Woodcock at the front who had a massive gap to run into untouched. Weepu misses the conversion.

13 min: Brendan Venter said this about France in his column on Friday. Spooky:

Shocks are always possible, but to pull one off you need to get in your opponents’ faces and punch holes in their defence. In this respect, France have got their selection wrong, as Morgan Parra is not this type of fly-half. In fact, he is not a fly-half at all, having been switched there from scrum-half.

If Lièvremont gets François Trinh-Duc on early they have a chance because at least he is a natural fly-half who knows how to get a back line going.

12 min: Mermoz grubbers towards Clerc on the right wing but it only finds touch. Parra, meanwhile, is off the field after taking a nasty knee to the head from McCaw after that earlier run from Nonu. Francois Trinh-Duc is on in his place.

11 min: The All Blacks have a defensive line-out test of their own but they don't fully pass the test as the ball is cleared to Palisson on the left touchline.

10 min: Harinordoquy does well to claim the line-out and Yachvili thumps the ball deep into the AB's half. Great bit of defensive work from France there. Nonu runs direct at the French defence, but he's a little isolated and Dusautoir is on it in an instant. McCaw senses the danger and clears out the French captain superbly.

9 min: Nonu puts boot to ball and sends France back into their own 22. Good option.

7 min: France keeping hold of the pill really well. Pape, Medard and Palisson link up well on the left flank with the wing running in-field and beating a couple of men. But the ball is knocked on eventually and New Zealand break out.

6 min: Terrible kick at goal from Weepu. He really snatched at that and the result was ugly. Bad sign for the hosts?

5 min: Another ropey throw from Mealamu but the ABs have the ball on the French 10-metre line. France concede an off-side penalty so the All Blacks will have a decent chance at three points.

4 min: Les Bleus go through 12 phases before Palisson is pinged for holding on after Woodcock got him isolated.

3 min: France are working through the phases well. Medard drops into the pocket to, presumably, kick but he spills the pass before doing well to sidestep past a few would-be tacklers.

2 min: Line-out from NZ is poor and Bonnaire is able to pounce on the ball at the tail and make yardage. Clerc is released down the right wing and he makes good yardage. Bright start from France, this.

1 min: Here we go! New Zealand kick towards France and Pape knocks on. The ABs have the ball but their pushed back by some energetic French defence. Cruden puts a bomb on the French but they deal with it well. Until Yachvili box-kicked it out on the full, that is.

09.01: A stat from Opta to get you thinking before kick-off:

@OptaJimOpta Sports6 - This is the 6th time these sides have met in a RWC match, making it the most common fixture in the history of the competition. Familiar.1 minute ago via web · powered by @socialditto

08.59: It's haka time. France are in a v-shape facing the All Blacks. They break the 'v' and advance as a line towards the Blacks. Edging closer with every second. Unfortunately for fans of pre-game rucks they never get close enough to eyeball each other. Right. Game time!

08.57: Anthems: Hayley Westenra is on singing and looking fit duty for God Defend New Zealand. And it's a solid shift, on both fronts.

08.56: Anthems: We have "Will Martin" singing La Marseillaise. Only problem is his fundamental inability to properly pronounce French words. Otherwise it was great.

08.53: The teams are striding through the tunnel and out on to the field. This is it.

08.48: Last of our fact/video combos:

Fact: the bookies have France with a +17 handicapVideo: France beat New Zealand at Eden Park in 1994 when they scored this try

08.45: A mail from Peter:

Let's not build up the french - we know the ABs will crush them

08.42: More from Brendan Gallagher:

All great New Zealand teams require a tag - the nation demands it -and the New Zealand Herald has already dubbed Richie McCaw's side as the "Unshakables" on account of how they have overcome a number of setbacks during their campaign and a tribute to how the nation has delivered a great World Cup despite the Chirstchurch earthquake earlier this year.

08.41: Twenty minutes until kick-off. Here's former All Black flanker Josh Kronfeld's take on how the French will prepare for the final:

They will smash some coffees, have a few ciggies and try and upset things

Fact: No team has ever won the World Cup having lost a group gameVideo: France beating New Zealand in 2007 when everyone said they wouldn't

08.17: Brendan Gallagher is at Eden Park and has an omen or two for us

It's all going off here. There was a huge rainbow over Eden Park at sunset which had Kiwis journos remembering we had exactly the same in 1987 apparently. And we have just had a shooting star in the sky. What does it all mean?

08.08: Our rugby expert Brendan Venter tried to find some reasons to be optimistic about France's chances. He says if it comes down to kicking, Les Bleus may have a chance. But otherwise.....

France’s tactical approach to this World Cup, has revolved around kicking, with very little penetrative running, and it is almost inconceivable that this brand of rugby will be enough to turn over New Zealand.

There is, perhaps, just one flicker of hope for the underdogs – the presence of Dimitri Yachvili and Morgan Parra, two of the best goal-kickers at the competition. Neither man has looked like missing many and if the final comes down to a battle of the boot then France will win because Piri Weepu, for all his good work, is not a world-class kicker.

08.00: Below is the first in our mini-series mixing facts about today's match with video showing why it's foolish to write off France.

Fact: New Zealand have not lost at Eden Park since 1994.Video: NZ lost to France in 1999 when everyone said they'd win easily:

07.55:Mark Reason is one of our men in Auckland, and he has this to say:

I have just come from the centre of Auckland. Even having lived in new Zealand for 12 months, I did not realise quite how rugby bonkers this nation is until just now. Security has already closed down the 12,000 capacity fan zone in the centre. It is heaving. There are bodies everywhere, including three Frenchmen each painted red, white or blue. a human tricolour.

07.50: Good morning and thanks for joining me for the last of our early starts together. The final is upon us and it's kind of perfect, isn't it? Hosts New Zealand hoping to end 24 years of hurt against France, the team that inflicted two of those wounds in 1999 and 2007.

This World Cup has been far from perfect, with very few of the 47 games so far exploding into life, but anyone who's ever seen a match between these two nations will know that we're in for an excellent final. I'm told the conditions are great in Auckland. It's a cool evening with a gentle breeze but thankfully the clouds clearing over Eden Park. Everything's set up for a cracker. Are you ready? Well then let's go.